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March 2004

Saving Face

-and body. Relaxing and rejuvenating treatments for spring (2)

Last month, in the February issue of MUNICH FOUND, we visited three beauty salons that offer customers a little spring rejuvenation and this month we continue the feature with a visit to a further salon and an Ayurveda center, both located in the east of Munich. Tucked away in a corner of Bogenhausen is a beauty oasis, The Green Door Salon (Mühlbauerstrasse 12). This cosmetic institute offers a range of services by expert beauticians. Skin rejuvenating facials, pedicures, manicures, waxing, permanent make-up, hair cutting, laser skin treatments and permanent hair removal with pulsed light can all help you look beautiful this spring.

The Green Door Salon uses only Guinot products from France—regarded as some of the best in the beauty industry. Clients come to The Green Door from all over Germany for their excellent service and expertise in pulsed light skin rejuvenation and hair removal. A Guinot Hydradermie facial (€ 89) does wonders for any type and age of skin at this time of year. An hour and a half long, it consists of deep cleansing, massaging and the application of lotions and masques that help hydrate and smooth out your skin and give it an even tone.

“I am petrified of bikini waxing. I had a very bad experience in 1978,” Arnold Schwarzenegger told Vanity Fair magazine when asked to name his greatest fear. Well, he obviously didn’t go to The Green Door. Eyebrows, legs and bikini lines are all done as painlessly as possible at the salon. Brazilian waxes (€ 36) are popular and are something to keep in mind for the upcoming beach season. Proper application of wax and swift removal are the two essentials for relatively pain-free and long-lasting results, and The Green Door aestheticians do both expertly. The Green Door is a serious institute that aims to provide their clients with visible results, so don’t expect to be wrapped in cotton wool and coddled. Deep cleansing may involve a little discomfort, but the effects are immediately apparent and long lasting. On March 9, The Green Door will be hosting an open house. A top plastic surgeon will be on hand to answer questions and there will be a permanent make-up demonstration. A 30 percent discount is available on hair removal, permanent make-up and Guinot products.

Santulan Ayurveda in Haidhausen (Wörthstrasse 13) offers a holistic approach to spring revival, with yoga classes, body treatments, aromatherapy and nutritional advice. Ayurveda is a traditional system of Indian medicine that has been practiced in that country for over 5,000 years and has recently become very popular in Europe and America. Santulan means “balance” in Sanskrit, as it is the goal of Ayurveda to balance body, mind and soul. Upon entering Santulan, one is offered a small glass of warm “healing water” infused with sandalwood and ginger, a mixture that is reputed to calm and heal the digestive system. Rest and tranquility are principles of Ayurveda and visitors to Santulan, on entering the premises and smelling the scented air, find themselves automatically speaking a little more quietly and beginning to unwind.

According to Ayurvedic principles, seasonal changes take a toll on the body by causing the build-up of kapha (mucous). In spring, it is important to eliminate the mucous from the body in order to protect your immune system and remain healthy. This can be done by having an Abhyanga detoxifying sesame seed oil massage (€ 65), drinking warm water daily to de-solidify mucous and adding herbal supplements, such as Chayanprash (Indian gooseberry) jam, to your diet. The staff at Santulan also caution against eating excessive amounts of fat and taking in cold food and drinks. Soup is suggested as the ideal evening meal, as it is easy to digest and calming for the intestines and stomach. Bhasrika yoga exercises, which focus on the lungs, are recommended to avoid respiratory infections.

Clients of Santulan are encouraged to experiment, ask questions and follow whichever combination of Ayuverdic treatments works best for them. Ayurveda should not be treated like a religion, which needs to be embraced in its entirety; instead visitors to Santulan are encouraged to make gentle changes to their life-style. Santulan’s doctor Sujata Soman is qualified in both Western and Ayurvedic medicine and is available for consultation in English or German. For more serious medical problems, such as high cholesterol, back pain or migraines, there are many Ayurvedic oil and massage treatments that use natural elements to eliminate the underlying causes of these conditions. If you are interested in learning more about Ayurveda, a weekly yoga class is held on Monday nights from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm (€ 15). Everyone is welcome, no matter what level of fitness.

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